Apple wants its smart glasses to avoid Meta’s biggest problem, set to be unveiled at WWDC 2027: Report

Apple’s long-rumoured smart glasses, which are expected to take on the Meta Ray-Ban glasses, could finally be arriving next year, according to a report by Bloomberg. Reportedly, Apple’s first smart glasses will be unveiled at WWDC 2027 and could be available to buy by the end of 2027.

The upcoming smart glasses will reportedly give Apple users hands-free access to Siri, the ability to take phone calls and listen to music without needing AirPods, all while offering a day’s worth of battery life. Earlier leaks have indicated that the glasses could also feature an iOS 27-like capability, allowing users to ask Siri questions about their surroundings.

Why were Apple’s glasses delayed?

Apple’s smart glasses were previously expected to be introduced later this year and become available to the public early next year. The report notes that one of the key reasons for the delay is that Apple has been working on refining not just the product but also the privacy message surrounding it.

While Meta was among the first companies to popularise smart glasses, the company’s murky privacy reputation is said to have become a burden for the category.

This is why Apple is reportedly working on developing features and policies that can address some of the concerns raised about Meta’s glasses.

With Apple enjoying a strong reputation for privacy, the company is said to be focusing on areas that can help it distinguish itself in the market instead of simply asking consumers for blind trust.

The report notes that Apple could focus on areas such as on-device AI processing while avoiding features such as facial recognition and continuous environment analysis. The company will also reportedly avoid features like Meta’s upcoming “super-sensing” mode, which continuously analyses the wearer’s surroundings. Meanwhile, Apple is also expected to make clear commitments that customer recordings will not be used to train its AI models.

Another measure, the report notes, could be avoiding the use of contractors to review footage captured by customers, something Meta has recently been accused of doing.

The Cupertino-based tech giant is also said to be prototyping a new set of hardware and software privacy protections that are not currently available on its existing devices.

Apple has also reportedly considered eliminating the camera entirely from the glasses in order to preserve privacy. This version would reportedly be able to access AI features, audio and phone calls but would not be able to take pictures or record videos.

Another option the company has reportedly debated is including a full camera on the glasses but not allowing users to record photos or videos with it. In this case, the cameras would only be used to feed data into Apple’s AI for tasks such as identifying objects and places.

Apart from the smart glasses, Apple is also expected to launch a 20th anniversary iPhone, a second-generation foldable iPhone, new smart home devices, updated AirPods and refreshed MacBooks next year.